Running along the best national runners and sprinters from across the country, Chime Wangmo was surprised to finish the 400-metres track event ahead of four other finalists at the BAAF- YORII Athletics championship in Thimphu on April 28.

“I am excited. I could hardly believe that I finished the run first. I wanted to set a new record for the track event,” Chime Wangmo said.

Participants from Bhutan at the BAAF- YORII Athletics championship

Some fourteen-year-old runners from Lungtenzampa Middle Secondary School represented the Thimphu Thromde at the event that saw more than 50 top athletes from six dzongkhags, one thromde and a team from the town of Yorii, Japan.

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The event also saw the former Japanese Olympian, Dai Tamesue, who also trained Bhutanese athletes into professional athletes, participate in the event.

Delegates from Yorii town joined Dai Tamesue, also the founder of the Athletic Society of Japan.

The day-long championship was part of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC), Athletic Society of Japan and Yorii town on 14 October 2016 in Thimphu.

According to the MoU, Yorii town and the Athletic Society will facilitate pre-game training camps for the Bhutanese track and field athletes. Japanese coaches and experts will visit Bhutan to train the athletes in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Events which transpired on the Race day

One of the most exciting track events was the 400-metres team relay run that saw Olympian Dai Tamesue joining Team Yorii along with the finalist teams from the Ugyen Academy, Punakha, Haa, Thimphu Dzongkhag and Thimthrom.

The track event saw the Olympian run as the last run of the Yorii team. The relay team from the Ugyen Academy FC comprised of the fastest sprinters, making it the most exciting track event.

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The Yorii team which was led by Dai Tamesue finished second followed by Team Thimthrom.

The championship saw Sangay Wangmo, the Bhutanese national record holder, set a new record at 13.35 seconds in the 100-metre dash.

Kao Yamaguchi of Yorii town came in second at 14.43 seconds followed by Ugyen Pelden from Paro at 14.46 seconds.

Singye, 19, from the Gongzim Ugyen Dorji Central School in Haa, said that he performed better at the dzongkhag level competition.

“I completed the 100-metre dash in 12 seconds at the dzongkhag level competitions. We feel different and unfamiliar with the equipment and rules used at the championship here,” said Singye.

He added that the athletics require daily and proper training to perform better.

The day-long BAAF YORII Athletics championship was followed by an athletics clinic organised by the coaches from Yorii town and the Athletic Society in Thimphu.